- Title: Philippine police chief says casino gunman killed himself
- Date: 2nd June 2017
- Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JUNE 2, 2017) (REUTERS) AMBULANCES PARKED OUTSIDE RESORTS WORLD MANILA POLICE OFFICERS ON STANDBY ARMED POLICE OFFICERS WALKING POLICE OFFICERS ON STANDBY POLICE VAN DRIVING BY PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF RONALD DELA ROSA SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino/English) PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF, RONALD DELA ROSA, SAYING: "He is dead. He burned himself. We recovered his gun, a small submachine gun and a short firearm that's 380 caliber. It burned with him, on the bed he was lying in." DELA ROSA SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino/English) PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF, RONALD DELA ROSA, SAYING: "We can say that this is not an act of terror. Why isn't it an act of terror? Because it did not have the element of violence, the threat and intimidation that lead to terrorism. If he was a terrorist, or part of ISIS (Islamic State), he should have fired inside. And if he had plans to kill himself, if he is truly a terrorist, instead of burning himself he should have strapped a bomb on himself and blew himself up." CAMERA OPERATORS FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino/English) PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF, RONALD DELA ROSA, SAYING: "They can claim whatever they want, whatever propaganda they want, to show to the world, but as far as the police is concerned, we cannot declare that this is a terror-related act, a terror-related incident because he did not hurt anyone, he did not fired anyone or blew anything up." DELA ROSA ENDING INTERVIEW WITH REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 16th June 2017 03:25
- Keywords: police statement not terrorism-related gunman Philippines casino attack
- Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Crime
- Reuters ID: LVA0016JL42TH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGE
The incident of the gunman who burst into the Resorts World Manila casino early on Friday (June 2) morning, firing shots and setting gaming tables alight, was not "an act of terror", police said, and the man is now dead, having burned in a bed in the hotel.
Police found the gunman's charred remains inside a hotel room around 7:00 AM local time (2300 GMT) where he is believed to have poured gasoline on his body and lit himself on fire while lying down. Recovered from his corpse were a submachine gun and a short firearm, Dela Rosa said. Police said it appeared the suspect had killed himself after firing at armed officers searching the still-smoking building.
The police chief said the gunman did not intend to carry out a militant attack and was not related to Islamist rebels currently fighting government troops in a southern Philippine city, after their investigation showed he did not directly fire on anyone or carry an explosive.
Eyewitness accounts and social media videos previously reported the gunman barged into the casino of Resorts World Manila around midnight on Thursday (June 1) and sprayed bullets in the air and lit tables on fire. At least 54 have been injured as they rushed to escape from the attack. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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